Court Sacks APC Governorship Candidate In Cross River

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, John Owan-Enoh, has been sacked by the Federal High Court in Calabar.

Justice Simon Amobeda of the said court also sacked the chairman of the Senator Owan-Enoh-led faction of the APC in the state, John Ochalla.

The court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to delist other candidates of the party currently being recognised by the electoral body in the state.

Justice Amobeda consequently ordered INEC to recognise Usani Usani as the authentic governorship candidate of the party in Cross River.

The court said only names of candidates submitted by the faction led by Godwin Etim John should be recognised by INEC.

“INEC should only receive and accept the names and candidates for the 2019 elections that emerged from the lawful executive led by Godwin Etim John,” ruled Justice Amobeda.

Speaking to reporters after the judgment was delivered, counsel to the claimants, Ayei Okpa, said: “The judgment clearly is in support of the rule of law as it also supports the yearning of the common man.

“Once a judgment is delivered in a court of law, everyone affected by that judgment is supposed and ought to comply with the said judgment and that is what this court today, has confirmed,” he said..

Okpa further faulted INEC for accepting and publishing names of candidates submitted by an “unlawful” executive of the APC in the state.

“INEC has every reason to comply with that order, what INEC did by publishing unlawful names is unlawful,” he said.

Reacting also, Godwin Etim John lauded the judgment and said he wasn’t surprised at the sacking of candidates of the Ochalla-led faction of the party.